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SOW nen Sagara had bowed unto the influence of Time, the subjects selected the righteous Ancumat for their king. And, O descendant of Raghu, Angumat proved a great ruler. And his son, the celebrated Dilipa, was also a greatking. And, O Raghu’s son, consigning unto Dilipa his kingdom, Angumat:

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entered upon rigid austerities on the romantic summit of the Himavat. And having for the space of thirty-two hundreds of thousands years carried on austeries in the woods, that highly famous one, crowned with the wealth of aceticism, attained the celestial regions. And the exceedingly powerful Dilipa, hearing of the destruction of his grand-fathers, was stricken with grief ; yet he could not ascertain his course about it. And he constantly thought as to how Ganga could be brought down, how to perform their watery rites, and how to deliver them. And as that pious one furnished with selfknowledge was always meditating upon this, an eminently virtuous son was born unto him named Bhagiratha. And performing numerous sacrifices, the mighty king Dilipa reigned for thirty thousand years. And without having arrived at any definite decision in regard to their deliverance, the king, O puissant one, being attacked with an ailment, breathed his last. And having sprinkled his son Bhagiratha in the way of installing him in the kingdom, that prime of men, the king, by virtue of his own acts, repaired to the region of Indra- And, O descendant of Raghu, that royal saint Bhagiratha was possessed of righteousness, And being without issue, and desiring to obtain it, the mighty monarch consigned his kingdom and his subjects to the care of his counsellors, and engaged in bringing down Ganga’. And, O Raghu’s descendant, restraining his senses, and eating once a month, and surrounding himself with five fires, and with arms upraised, he for a long lapse of time performed austerities at Gokarna. And as he was performing his terrible austerities, a thousand years rolled away. And thereat that possessor of the six attributes and lord of all creatures, Brahm&4, was welpleased with that high-souled monarch. And presenting himself together with the celestials, the Grand-sire thus spoke unto the high-souled Bhagiratha engaged in austerities,—’O Bhagiratha, O mighty monarch, pleased am I with thee, O lord of men, on account of thy ardent austerities ; do thou,

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O thou of excellent vows, ask for the boon thou wouldst have.’ Thereupon that great car-warrior, the highly powerful and mighty-armed Bhagiratha, with clasped hands, said unto the Grand-sire of all creatures,—‘If, adorable one, thou art pleased with me, if thou wouldst grant me the fruit of my asceticism, may Sagara’s sons receive water at my hands; and on the ashes of those high-souled ones being laved by the waters of Gang, may my great-grand-fathers without fail repair unto heaven! And, O divine one, I beseech thee, may our line never languish for want of offspring. May, O God, this prime boon light upon Ikshwaku’s race!’ When the king had said this, the Grand-sire addressed him these sweet and auspicious words composed of melting letters,—‘O mighty car-warrior Bhagiratha, high is this thy aim. Be it so, good betide thee, thou enhancer of the Ikshwaku line. This Haimavati Ganga, Himavat’s elder daughter, even her to hold, O king, do thou employ Hara; for Ganga’s fall, O king, Earth will not be able to sustain. And to hold her, O king, find I none save the weilder of the Trident.” Having thus addressed the monarch, and greeted Gangi, the creator of the worlds repaired to heaven with the celestials. ,